NEIL LENNON has urged Celtic fans to lay of the criticism of chief executive Peter Lawwell.

NEIL LENNON has urged Celtic fans to lay of the criticism of chief executive Peter Lawwell.

The Hoops supremo has been in direct line of some supporters’ ire following the dismal Champions League exit following

Lawwell has faced stinging criticism following Celts’ dismal Champions League exit against the Romanians of Cluj who shredded ambitions to make an impact in European football’s elite competition with a 4-3 victory in Glasgow last week.

A section of followers are also unhappy at the lack of big-money transfer activity especially in the wake of Kieran Tierney’s record-breaking £25million move to Arsenal.

So far Lennon, who could add former keeper Fraser Forster to his recruitments today, has spent around £12million in bringing in Christopher Jullien, Bolo Bolingoli, Hatem Abd Elhamed and Luca Connell, but the fans are craving a big name before the transfer deadline a week on Monday.

Lennon, though, is backing the club’s top man as he prepares for tonight’s crucial Europa League first leg play-off against AIK Stockholm at Parkhead.

The Irishman, speaking to The Sun, said: “The abuse Peter Lawwell gets is very unfair, I think it’s totally imbalanced.

“He’s presided over eight league titles in a row and three trebles, and we’ve been in the last 16 in the Champions League a few times.

“It’s probably as good a time as Celtic has had for a very long time.”

On the accusations of penny-pinching in the transfer market, Lennon added: “I can’t comment on that.

“I’m not aware of how much money there is. But Peter does what’s best for Celtic and he always has done, maybe to the detriment of himself sometimes.